Mobile electronic devices, such as mobile phones, portable media players, personal computers, e-readers, tablet computers, and audio players, are becoming increasingly important in peoples' day-to-day activities. People rely on mobile electronic devices to communicate with others, engage in commerce, listen to music, watch videos, and manage personal calendars, just to name a few. Due to the high cost of mobile electronic devices, there is a strong incentive to protect these devices from physical damage, such as drop-induced damage. And due to resale value of electronic devices being determined largely by the cosmetic condition of the exterior surfaces of the electronic device, there is a strong economic incentive to protect electronic devices from cosmetic damages, such as scratches or marring.
Many existing protective cases impart wear marks or scratches on the electronic device over time. For instance, some slider cases may scratch a device during installation if debris, such as sand or pocket lint, is present at the interface between the device and an inner surface of the slider case. Other protective cases may result in marring due to subtle rubbing of the protective case against the electronic device over time. Marring can result in a glossy surface finish being reduced to a matte surface finish on certain portions of the electronic device, which is undesirable from a resale perspective. To avoid these outcomes, it can be desirable to have a protective case that effectively protects the electronic device against drop-induced damage but also does not impart visible signs of wear on exterior surfaces of the electronic device.